As you may remember, I participate in a Greedy Gift Grab with some talented sewers every December. This year was no different. (In fact, Jillian posted about the GGG. If you click on the group photo in her post to enlarge it, you'll see me hiding in the back.)

A few years ago I purchased a bag of silk remnants from a tie manufacturer, and I decided to use them to make zipper pouches as Christmas gifts. I have now given all but one of them away, so I can share.

The pouch in the far back is made from home dec remnants from FabMo, but the rest are made from tie silk.

I celebrate Christmas with my daughters on Christmas Eve. I like to find somewhere interesting to spend our evening. Two years ago, when my youngest was in Thailand, my eldest and I spent Christmas in a tree house. This year, I booked a yacht in Sausalito. Unfortunately, the day before our celebration, my eldest had her wisdom teeth removed due to an infection. That dampened her plans a bit (pain, swelling, and zero alcohol allowed), and I had to change our menu around, but it was still nice!

DD1 on Christmas Eve Eve, right after her surgery

Our Christmas Eve yacht, in the Sausalito Marina

Christmas Eve moon from our yacht

Our host put up a little tree for us

Playing games on Christmas Eve

Sausalito Marina on Christmas morning

San Francisco skyline from Sausalito

Downtown Sausalito

DD1 gifted me with a gorgeous wooden salad bowl and a necklace, and DD2 gifted me with a great hat. I'm sure both wearables will make an appearance at some point.

On Christmas afternoon, I went to downtown San Francisco to see Star Wars. I had purchased my ticket a month ago. Guess who stepped into line just in front of me? Diane Keaton! She smiled at me and said "hi", no doubt because my eyes were open wide and my brain was racing—I was asking myself if I was really looking at Diane Keaton.

But it was!

The theater was a chaotic zoo, and everyone else was completely oblivious to her, which gave me a sense of unreality.

I discovered her line of patterns last year at Puyallup Sew Expo and I got on her mailing list. She sent out an email recently asking people what kind of patterns they wanted to see, offering a free pattern to those who responded quickly. I sent her an email, quick like a rabbit, and was one of the winners. For my free pattern, I chose her Encore jacket.

Encore jacket

(By the way, the brochure for Puyallup Sew Expo 2016 is now available. However, it turns out that I will not be attending Sew Expo this year. I have a conflicting work event.)

Finally, Rachel, of House of Pinheiro, hosted a 12 Days of Christmas photo hop on Instagram at the beginning of December. Why do I keep participating in these? They are sort of addictive, though I think I need a break after this one.

Day 1 of #sewphotohop: You. Feeling festive! @houseofpinheiro

Day 2 of #sewphotohop: Naughty or nice? I must be naughty or why would I be wearing chains? Also, I bought something like SEVEN Craftsy classes in the Thanksgiving sale. I now have 20 that I haven't watched. @girlcharleeuk

Day 3 of #sewphotohop: Grateful. So.incredibly.grateful. @upcraftclub

Day 4 of #sewphotohop: Memories. My daughter gave me this fabric for Christmas two years ago. I've been driving myself crazy looking for the right pattern. I hope to sew it up soon! @sewalison

Day 5 of #sewphotohop: Shiny. @minervacrafts

Day 6 of #sewphotohop: Fun. For April Fools Day 2014 I made a Noogler Hat for the Google Bison. It still wears that hat today. So.much.fun! @thefoldline @houseofpinheiro

Day 8 of #sewphotohop: While I craft I... I really enjoy Spotify and have a vast and diverse playlist. Right now some of my favorite artists are Kate Rusby, Beth Hart, Hugh Laurie, and David Ford. @sewoveritlondon

Day 9 of #sewphotohop: No regrets. I made this Butterick dress and knew I wouldn't wear it, even after I altered it to fit better (not shown). A week or two later I chopped it off. No regrets, as I enjoy wearing it as a skirt! @vhaberdashery @houseofpinheiro

Day 10 of #sewphotohop: Handmade gifts. I used to be an obsessive quilter. I made this quilt for my father in 1996—more than 20 years ago. My father passed in August and the quilt came back to me. @woolandthegang @houseofpinheiro

Day 11 of #sewphotohop: Wish list. I wish for more time! Time to sew and time to travel. @stylemakerfabrics @houseofpinheiro

Day 12 of #sewphotohop: Favorite things. (I knitted the hat on the left.) @dittofabrics @houseofpinheiro